Buying Wedding Invitations
Buying wedding invitations can be mind boggling if you don’t have a strategy before you begin. It is a good idea to know your price range and have a style in mind before shopping.
There are many, many choices out there from the very elegant, elaborate and expensive to the very simple and inexpensive. For the sake of planning your wedding for less, I will only discuss the choices that are very easy on the budget. Buying wedding invitations for less takes some footwork and lots of time, but your efforts will pay off, I guarantee it.
Invitations are only a means of telling your guests important information about your big event. They are very short lived, except for the few kept for memories sake. In light of that, wouldn't you rather spend your money on your honeymoon or on something that is much more important?
The first way to save money when buying wedding invitations is to buy an invitation that is of standard size. Any invitation that is over sized, or is unusually sized in any way, will cost more and will cost more postage to mail. Standard invitations which are 5x7, 4x6 or 4x9 are a much more cost conscience choice and the styles to choose from are almost endless.
To begin your search, let’s choose a style. What is the “feel” of your wedding? Is it formal, semi-formal, or informal? The answer to this question will somewhat suggest the style of your wedding invitation. Keep in mind that you don’t want a fun loving, clip art invitation for a formal wedding. So, keep the look appropriate.
Formal & Semi Formal
Formal and semi-formal wedding invites would probably be printed on some type of fine paper, such as cotton fiber, linen, parchment,or handmade paper . These invitations could possibly have a pattern or design printed on them. A very popular trend is to use a plainer paper for the invitation itself overlaid with vellum for a more sophisticated look.
Informal & Casual
Informal and casual weddings may use simple invitations pretty much of any sort depending on the amount of elegance desired. There are many pre-printed invitations you might use. Many department stores and print shops offer blank invitations that you can print yourself. Keep in mind that printing with color ink may cost the same or less to have a professional print them on your paper for you. Buying wedding invitations that do not have to have personalized printing on them is definitely the most cost effective way to go.
Buying Wedding Invitations With A Theme
Themed invitations, such as Hollywood, Beauty and the Beast, Comics, or Gothic would definitely use clip art or color that would enhance the overall theme of the wedding. Just remember to not overdo it. A cluttered invitation does not make for a good impression.
The first place to start looking is on the internet. You can do a lot of footwork right there in your own home by simply searching the net for inexpensive wedding invitations. Keep a notebook nearby for jotting down what you find. Write down the website, the item number, the quantity, a short description and the price including shipping for each one that you think you may like. This is invaluable so that you don’t get too confused. And believe me, you CAN get confused after doing an extensive search.
The other suggestion is to go to local wedding stores and print shops to see what they have to offer. If you have done some footwork on the net, take your notebook along with you. Be sure to mention the price, if it’s better, of what you found on the net. Many times the local shop will meet or beat the price.
Remember that a somewhat plain invitation can be upgraded by adding a little extra embellishment. Sealing wax on the envelope, dried flowers, sheer ribbon and even charms are just a few. This is an option that can really bring out the couple’s individuality and creativity. Include these little extras in the price of the invitation when figuring the cost and as always stay within your budget.
One last note, be sure when buying wedding invitations to pick an ink color that makes the invitation easy to read. An ink color that blends too much into the background will not be as nice as one that has the wording stand out.
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